BARDIA

SECRET "N" BOMBING REPORT 11 13 REFERENCE Pilot : Maj. Fowler Observer : 2/Lt. M. A. Oberholzer Squadron : 21 Sqdn. BR Details of Target : A/Sgts. White and Hattingh S. A. A. F. BARDIA DUMPS NORTH WEST OF TOWN Place : BARDIA Date : 24 / 9 / 41 Time : 1300 hrs. Weather : 5/10 CLOUD Height : 17500 feet. (1) Bombs dropped : (2) Failures : STICK OF 8 X 250 LBS. NIL (3) Observed effects : STICK STARTING SHORT OF MAIN DUMP THOUGHT TO BE IN SECOND DUMP AND REST IN LINE ON TRACK 270 SOME XXXX BEEN FALLING IN MAIN DUMP AREA. (4) Details of photographs taken : OBLIQUES OF VARIOUS STICKS ACROSS TARGET AREA (5) Casualties to own aircraft and personnel : NONE (6) Casualties to enemy aircraft and personnel : UNKNOWN (7) Enemy A.A. ground defences encountered (a) location of defences (b) type (c) strength : (a) 5 MILES NORTH OF TOWN ALONG COAST LINE (b) HEAVY (c) MEDIUM INTENSITY (8) Hostile patrols encountered (a) position (b) type and number of aircraft (c) if engagement resulted : 1314 hours 5 UNIDENTIFIED AIRCRAFT 12 MILES SOUTH OF BARDIA 1316 hours 1 do do OBSERVED NO ENGAGEMENT RESULTED. (9) Special comments : OBSERVED VARIOUS BOMB BURSTS IN AND AROUND TARGET AREA OTHER THAN OUR OWN STICK. SIGNED 2/LT. M. A. OBERHOLZER. NOTE — (1) For intelligence purposes RECONNAISSANCE REPORT (A. M. FORM 401) must always accompany a BOMBING REPORT. (2) COMBAT (BOMBER) REPORT also to be completed if engagement with enemy aircraft occurred during flight.

1941-09-24 BARDIA

__o_O_o__

Form 541

17,500ft.

MAP

Baltimore

2/Lt. M. A. Oberholzer Sq Observer

Transcriber's Notes

Phase 2: Technical Expansion (The "Transcriber's Notes") Glossary of Terms * 21 SQUADRON S.A.A.F.: No. 21 Squadron, South African Air Force. During late 1941, this unit was a key medium-bomber component of the Western Desert Air Force (WDAF), operating from Egyptian bases to interdict Axis supply hubs in Libya. * A.A.: Anti-Aircraft fire (Flak). * BA-BH (MARTIN BALTIMORE): A twin-engine light/medium bomber manufactured by Glenn L. Martin. While the squadron became synonymous with this type in 1942, at the time of this 1941 mission, they were equipped with the Martin Maryland (e.g., No. 1664 "N"), the Baltimore's direct technical predecessor. * BARDIA: A strategic coastal fortress and logistical bottleneck in eastern Libya, critical for the sustainment of the German-Italian frontier defensive positions. * MC/GP (MEDIUM CAPACITY / GENERAL PURPOSE): Standard Allied demolition bombs. The aircraft in this mission carried 8 x 250 LBS General Purpose munitions. * MET: Meteorological section or data. The report cites 5/10 cloud directly over the target, which significantly complicated visual aiming and bomb release. * OBLIQUES: Photographs taken at an angle from the aircraft (rather than straight down) to provide context and damage assessment from a perspective that captures vertical surfaces. Operational Context Target File 272_13 constitutes the Bombing Report for Martin Maryland aircraft "N," piloted by Maj. Fowler, during the high-level strike against Axis logistical caches on 24th September 1941. The strategic objective of targeting the Bardia Dumps (located northwest of the port) was to degrade Rommel’s mobile fuel and ammunition reserves ahead of the planned Allied winter offensive, Operation Crusader. The mission was executed from an altitude of 17,500 feet at 13:00 hours. Technical data confirms the release of a full stick of 8 x 250 LBS bombs, though execution was hampered by environmental factors. The observer, 2/Lt. M. A. Oberholzer, noted that while the stick started short of the "main dump," it likely impacted a secondary dump and tracked across the terrain along a compass bearing of 270 degrees. This highlights the difficulty of high-level horizontal bombing in the desert where localized 5/10 cloud and the "battle fog" from preceding flights (mentioned as "various bomb bursts... other than our own stick") obscured primary aiming marks. Defensively, Maryland "N" encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire of medium intensity originating from coastal batteries 5 miles north of Bardia. The crew also performed a vital reconnaissance role by sighting six unidentified aircraft (one flight of five and a lone aircraft) south of Bardia between 13:14 and 13:16 hours. Although no engagement resulted, these sightings contributed to the broader tactical intelligence gathered by the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) precursor units regarding Luftwaffe patrol patterns along the frontier. The acquisition of oblique photographs provided essential intelligence for post-mission damage assessment of the 18,000 lbs of total ordnance dropped by the squadron during this specific operation. 14 Phase 1: Verification & Extraction Identity Check: 24/9/41.